Ezr 3:12 | NETfull | STEP | Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established – were weeping loudly, and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout.

Ezra 3:12

12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders ^{▼▼ Heb “the heads of the fathers.”} – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established ^{▼▼ The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.} – were weeping loudly, ^{▼▼ Heb “with a great voice.”} and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout.